Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Clarion Books (September 14, 2009)
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all.
MY REVIEW: Tamsin, 17, is the youngest in her family of talented witches. Her older sister, Ravena, is the picture of perfection and her complete opposite. Poor Tamsin has no Talent, she's the only one in her family not to have one. What is puzzling is her grandmother said she would be a "beacon of light" when she was born.
Grandmother must have been wrong. Right? Hmm, we'll see. Charming and good looking Allistair Callum walks into the bookstore Tam's grandmother owns and where she works while on school break. He mistakes her for Ramona and asks for assistance in locating a cherished family heirloom. Keeping tight lipped, she tells him she will help him. But with no Talent, what will she do? Luckily for her, childhood friend Gabriel is back in town and attending a college close to her New Hyde Prep school in NYC. She asks Gabriel for his help in locating the heirloom--a clock--Allistair desperately needs back (and the reason why he needs it is paramount to the story).
Along the way Tamsin discovers she is not the black sheep of her family, she has more than just one Talent, and Gabriel still has feelings for her (as she does for him). The climax of the story occurs inside Grand Central Station and involves a clock, which being a New Yorker has a certain COOL factor to it. Though the story is slow moving at first, the pace picks up and keeps our attention. There was something lacking throughout the story--I wanted to know more about the characters, their motivations and such which may be addressed in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed Once a Witch.
RATING: +++1/2
BOOK SOURCE: Library.
Publisher: Clarion Books (September 14, 2009)
BOOK DESCRIPTION: Tamsin Greene comes from a long line of witches, and she was supposed to be one of the most Talented among them. But Tamsin's magic never showed up. Now seventeen, Tamsin attends boarding school in Manhattan, far from her family. But when a handsome young professor mistakes her for her very Talented sister, Tamsin agrees to find a lost family heirloom for him. The search—and the stranger—will prove to be more sinister than they first appeared, ultimately sending Tamsin on a treasure hunt through time that will unlock the secret of her true identity, unearth the sins of her family, and unleash a power so vengeful that it could destroy them all.
MY REVIEW: Tamsin, 17, is the youngest in her family of talented witches. Her older sister, Ravena, is the picture of perfection and her complete opposite. Poor Tamsin has no Talent, she's the only one in her family not to have one. What is puzzling is her grandmother said she would be a "beacon of light" when she was born.
Grandmother must have been wrong. Right? Hmm, we'll see. Charming and good looking Allistair Callum walks into the bookstore Tam's grandmother owns and where she works while on school break. He mistakes her for Ramona and asks for assistance in locating a cherished family heirloom. Keeping tight lipped, she tells him she will help him. But with no Talent, what will she do? Luckily for her, childhood friend Gabriel is back in town and attending a college close to her New Hyde Prep school in NYC. She asks Gabriel for his help in locating the heirloom--a clock--Allistair desperately needs back (and the reason why he needs it is paramount to the story).
Along the way Tamsin discovers she is not the black sheep of her family, she has more than just one Talent, and Gabriel still has feelings for her (as she does for him). The climax of the story occurs inside Grand Central Station and involves a clock, which being a New Yorker has a certain COOL factor to it. Though the story is slow moving at first, the pace picks up and keeps our attention. There was something lacking throughout the story--I wanted to know more about the characters, their motivations and such which may be addressed in the next book. Overall, I enjoyed Once a Witch.
RATING: +++1/2
BOOK SOURCE: Library.
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